Sound object control apparatus and method based on additional image object

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for controlling a sound object based on an additional image object. A sound object controlling method includes displaying image objects synchronized with a plurality of sound objects, respectively, on a display; and controlling a sound object synchronized with an image object selected by a user from among the image objects displayed on the display. The sound object includes metadata that includes playback location information of the sound object on a specific space, sound level information of the sound object, and display location information of the image object synchronized with the sound object on the display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a sound object, the method comprising:
 displaying image objects on a display; and   controlling a sound object corresponding to an image object selected by a user from among the image objects displayed on the display, the sound object being synchronized with the selected image object,   wherein the sound object synchronized with the selected image object includes metadata that includes any one or combination of playback location information of the sound object on a specific space, sound level information of the sound object, and display location information of the selected image object synchronized with the sound object on the display.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled sound object is among a plurality of sound objects, and
 the displaying comprises setting a desired area on the display for an image object, among the image objects, corresponding to a sound object having no synchronized image object, in response to a presence of the sound object having no synchronized image object among the plurality of sound objects.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled sound object is among a plurality of sound objects, and the displaying comprises:
 recognizing a multichannel speaker having a surround channel disposed on the specific space, in response to a presence of a sound object having no synchronized image object among the plurality of sound objects;   setting a virtual auditory space that includes the recognized multichannel speaker; and   displaying a virtual image object synchronized with the sound object having no synchronized image object among the plurality of sound objects on the set virtual auditory space.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected image object is set to be in a desired range selectable by a pointing device of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the controlling comprises:
 providing an interface for the controlling of the sound object synchronized with the selected image object, in response to a selection on the desired range by the pointing device of the user; and   controlling a location at which the sound object synchronized with the selected image object is to be played back on the specific space and a sound level of the sound object synchronized with the selected image object, according to a manipulation of the user received through the provided interface.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display location information of the selected image object is represented as coordinate information about an absolute horizontal pixel and an absolute vertical pixel of the display. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display location information of the selected image object is represented as horizontal ratio information and vertical ratio information of a relative location of the selected image object based on a horizontal size and a vertical size of the display. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for controlling a sound object, the apparatus comprising:
 a display configured to display image objects; and   a processor configured to control a sound object corresponding to an image object selected by a user from among the image objects displayed on the display, the sound object being synchronized with the selected image object,   wherein the sound object synchronized with the selected image object includes metadata that includes any one or combination of playback location information of the sound object on a specific space, sound level information of the sound object, and display location information of the selected image object synchronized with the sound object on the display.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the controlled sound object is among a plurality of sound objects, and
 the processor is further configured to set a desired area on the display for an image object, among the image objects, corresponding to a sound object having no synchronized image object, in response to a presence of the sound object having no synchronized image object among the plurality of sound objects.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the controlled sound object is among a plurality of sound objects, and
 the processor is further configured to recognize a multichannel speaker having a surround channel disposed on the specific space, in response to a presence of a sound object having no synchronized image object among the plurality of sound objects, to set a virtual auditory space that includes the recognized multichannel speaker, and to display a virtual image object synchronized with the sound object having no synchronized image object among the plurality of sound objects on the set virtual auditory space.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the selected image object is set to be a desire range selectable by a pointing device of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide an interface for controlling the sound object synchronized with the selected image object, in response to a selection on an image object to be synchronized with each of the plurality of sound objects by the pointing device of the user, and to control a location at which the sound object synchronized with the selected image object is to be played back on the specific space and a sound level of the sound object synchronized with the selected image object, according to a manipulation of the user received through the provided interface. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the display location information of the selected image object is represented as coordinate information about an absolute horizontal pixel and an absolute vertical pixel of the display. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the display location information of the selected image object is represented as horizontal ratio information and vertical ratio information of a relative location of the selected image object based on a horizontal size and a vertical size of the display.